Thanks Frida for sponsoring this video! Head to our Amazon Storefront to shop at https://frida.yt.link/YkILjP2 I’ve lived without a smartphone for over a year, and so has my husband. Here’s what life without a smartphone actually looks like in 2026, how I handle directions, calendars, banking, school apps, 2FA, QR codes, and concert tickets with a dumbphone. Whenever I tell people we’re a smartphone-free home, I get two questions: why and how? So in this video I’m answering both. I’ll show you the simple swaps that replaced my smartphone, the few times I thought “okay, they got me, I actually need a smartphone for this,” and what giving up that convenience has given me back. This isn’t about convincing you to ditch your phone. It’s a look at what’s actually possible if you’ve ever wondered whether you could live without one. In this video: 0:00 Can you live without a smartphone in 2026? 1:29 Mornings: alarms, weather, and calendars 3:30 Using “phone-only” apps from a computer 4:55 GPS and directions without a smartphone 10:28 Groceries, convenience, and community 15:58 Giving up music streaming 17:24 When the world requires a smartphone 25:10 -Online banking without a smartphone 26:11 What dumb phone I use 28:46 Is it possible? What I’ve learned -How I manage calendars, appointments, and to-dos without a smartphone -Using apps from my computer instead of my phone -Navigating without GPS (and what the “Google effect” did to my sense of direction) -Why I stopped ordering groceries online -Weak ties, community, and what smartphones quietly take away -Living without streaming devices -The 5 times the world required a smartphone and how I handled it #dumbphone #smartphonefree #digitalminimalism 👋 WHO AM I? Hi! My name is Kallie Branciforte, AKA That Practical Mom™. I’m here to share practical life hacks to help you get organized realistically, find attainable productivity, and simplify some of the chaos of life. 👉JOIN ME while I challenge to write one article a week for a year! https://thatpracticalmom.substack.com/ For business inquiries: [email protected] ____________________________________________ 🙌 I’M HERE TO HELP YOU SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE. Need more? 1. Check out my FREE Printables: https://thatpracticalmom.substack.com/s/free-printables 2. Grab my “30 Days To a Cleaner Person” e-book: https://caffeinateandconquerco.com/products/cleaner-in-30-days-e-book-how-anyone-can-learn-to-be-tidy 3. Become a Morning Person in 7 Days: https://caffeinateandconquerco.com/products/how-to-become-a-morning-person-e-book-and-workbook-bundle ____________________________________________ 🤝 Disclaimers and such Fair use: I believe any clips used in my video fall under the remit of fair use. Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for fair use for the purposes including criticism, comment, and news reporting. If any of the owners wish to dispute this you can always reach out. I respect all fellow content creators. FTC DISCLAIMER: Some of the links above could contain affiliate links, meaning that I get a small commission when you make a purchase using them. Music used under license from Epidemic Sound.
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It should be illegal to not offer a workaround.
I’ve been smart phone free for 2 years now! Never going back! I love it! I recommend it to everyone!
What worked for me is I took everything addictive off my phone (all social media, games, news, shopping apps ... anything with an endless scroll) and left it with just the basic tools ... and I feel absolutely free again in my life!
Honestly, YouTube is the main issue on my smartphone... Hours a day I listen to videos. And a little facebook. Without those 2 things I wouldn't even be tempted to waste time in my phone.
having to check your kids in to school with an app sounds so dystopian
I watch a lot of your videos, but rarely comment, so I wanted to go ahead and share something that I've been thinking for a while as I've seen you grow as a creator. I am so impressed and genuinely pleased to see how your channel has transformed from getting the best deals and product focused recommendations to a more eco-friendly and socially conscious series of videos! The way you lay out the information makes it feel really simple to make these everyday switches and I find a lot of value in the content that you're putting together over the last couple years! Thank you so much for your hard work, and the dedication to building the best version of yourself is evident in the information you share! You have really become an inspiration to me not just as a mom, but as a human! ✨❤️🌻
My mom is 89 and only a very old track phone and rarely turns it on. After my dad passed recently I tried and tried to get her to try a “smart” with hopes of it giving her an outlet. She rejected the thought and recently I have come to realize that she is the smart one! She is the most content, happy and healthier person I know! I am striving to be more like her! ❤
Honestly, I want a dumb phone with a super good camera and a GPS. That's it! Once it's on the market, I'll ditch my smartphone. I just love taking pictures too much and I am too reliant on the GPS 😂
Such a refreshing and uplifting video - I loved this conversation. You’ve inspired me to take a big step back from my phone!
I am taking notes because I am all about this for real. My iPhone has been acting up and I swear once it goes down, I am getting a dumb phone!
I used to take the bus. It was a community because we generally all had the same schedules. I have some wonderful memories from those commutes. A rider retired so he brought us donuts. People starting asking questions and gave us advice for a fulfilling career. There were cheers when the person who supported a particular sports team boarded after their team won a championship. I still remember the joy on their faces.
I’ve been amazed at how many people cannot give you directions to a place they’re quite familiar with, and tell you to just use your GPS.🙄😬
This is seriously impressive!
The little social interactions you mention are the reason I get excited to sit in the lobby at my child’s dance lesson so I can catch up with other parents instead of waiting in the car, or why I go to barre and Pilates classes instead of doing online class alone at home. I crave these mini interactions so much and feel so down if I don’t talk to anyone all day. Also I just want to say how much I enjoy your videos. I can see how much work and research you add, and seeing your progression over the years is amazing!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Congratulations on giving up your smart phone. I have never used or owned one and I never will. They are the bane of our society. Society is obsessed. They place these inanimate objects above family...above friendships...above absolutely everything, even above God. Society has grown cold. Everywhere you go people are glued to their phones. Families used to gather around the dinner table and talk about their day...couples used to go on dates to get to know each other...people used to go for walks or a jog to get exercise and breathe the fresh air, parents used to spend time with their children, people used to sit in airports waiting for their plane to board talking about their upcoming vacation. All this has changed. No one talks anymore. More than once I have observed walkers and joggers run into a parked car or a pole because they have their nose buried in their phones. Little children are given phones now so parents don't have to spend time with them or pay a baby sitter. How sad it all is. Life is too precious and short to be addicted to a little box.
I hate grocery shopping online. Going down the aisle and getting ideas for new recipes, seeing things with your eyes so I don’t forget things, seeing the price options. I tend to spend less and get more when I shop in person, plus exercise
It's basically going back to the 80s when I was a kid.
"there are human beings out there" - SO TRUE!!!
This was honestly such a good video!
I have never had a smart phone and i do not EVER plan on getting one. Good for you! I cant imagine how hard it is to get off those life-suckers after youve relied on one for so long.